BT to decide DSL rollout with dice roll

BT has admitted that it plans to decide key elements of its long-awaited DSL (digital subscriber line) broadband internet rollout by the throw of a dice.

According to the telco, should more than one operator apply to roll out DSL on the same site of the local loop, the winner will be decided by a throwing dice.

Full details of the controversial plan, part of BTInterconnect's Bow Wave Administration Procedures, is available on the BTInterconnect site.

Telecoms regulator Oftel begins the process of working out which operators applied for which sites along the local loop today. There are 360 sites up for grabs and Oftel should have worked out who wants what by 19 September.

After that there will follow a trading and bartering round, where operators can swap sites with each other. If, after the trading round there are still operators squabbling over one or more sections of the local loop (only one operator per site), Oftel will then break open the Monopoly box and the winner will be decided by the good old tradition of a game of dice.

"Should more than one operator tie in priority for a particular site and/or trading doesn't resolve the issue of space allocation, the operators involved in this process will be invited to throw a dice to establish which operator will gain the available space - the highest number thrown being the 'winner'," said BT.

First published on uk.internet.com

See also:

Oftel calls meeting over DSL delays

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Fibernet starts wholesale DSL pilot

Wholesale digital subscriber line services are to be deployed in a pilot scheme for users in four major UK cities, bypassing the debacle over unbundling the local loop.  18 Oct 2000

DSL already obsolete, claims Pinacl

Digital subscriber line could be finished before it has even begun, according to Pinacl which claims it can deploy a 100Mbps connection through ethernet access.  18 Oct 2000

BT offers upgrade from ISDN to DSL

BT has performed a U-turn and agreed to support users wishing to upgrade from ISDN to digital subscriber line services.  18 Oct 2000

BT denies broadband 'dead zones' claims

BT has dismissed claims that it is planning to exclude parts of the UK from using its high-speed internet access services.  27 Sep 2000

Oftel accused of favouring BT

UK telecoms watchdog Oftel has been accused of failing the country's internet economy by allowing BT to stifle competition and growth.  22 Sep 2000

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